Lock gate system



Jan. 18, 1949. c. ARNE 'LOCK GATE SYSTEM 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 5, 1946 aan. 1s, 1949. C, ARNE 2,459,140

Lock GATE SYSTEM Filed April/'5, 194s s Sheets-sheet 2 s sheets-sheet s C. ARNE LOCK GATE SYSTEM Jan. 18, 1949.

Filed April 5, 1946 Patented Jan. 18, 1949 UNITED' STATI-1s PATENT OFFICE p 2,459,140` IzooK GATE SYSTEM' Christian-Arne, Chicago,l1l. l Application April' 5g 1946, SerialNb. 659,753 21 Claims-.i (Cl. 6124) This invention relates tol an automatic lock gate system wher-ein then gate Within the locll: is raised and lowered` by hydraulic means: only on at. least a major portion of its travel, and:y doesI not'V dependi on any special means foi" shifting the-center of'gravity offthegate d'uringfY its movemento1'- on changing. the buoyancy of'th'e gaz-te. The invention also relates to'. control means: for operating: the gate and to; a preferred hinge mounting fior theigate;

Locksand lock' gates are used inl navigation channels tol lower orA raise aI ship', boat or` other object from one level! to another. The gates are.' often heavy, cumbersome objects which; are usuallyl movecli` by power means Lockl gate' systems have b'eerr devised in which: the gates: are raised or lowered? byf shitting" they centerr ot gravity ofthe-satecr by increasing and' decreas-k ingthe Weight' ois' the gatef irror-cler.l tomakef it alternately float and sink.

In the present invention; the'lockgate iscontrolled' by fluidi means only, and nozspecilic` floats..

or weights are use@l in the gate unless: desired.. Furthermore there isi-no1 delay i'rr opening or: clos-ing' the gate, as the gate operatesr as rapidly as the lock can be lledf and emptied.. Theein," Venti'on also incl'uclesan: improved valve means that isF also operated' solelyby. hydraulic# pressure' and that requires no:v mechanical powensuch as; is: necessaryin the ordinary heavy duty valves used' fo'r'si'milar purposes.

The invention comprises broadlyv as.. gate rotat able about its lower edge and! normally held'y up right whenl i'n- 'closed pos-itioni by the' head of' Water within the lock in: which the'gateisiuse'd.. It includes means for' draining the' water` from the lock until the Water level reaches the point'A The. hydraulic Valve system comprisesanienclosedi hydraulic line,. a valvet therein'. arranged f ormove'- ment: to open and close: sain` line; a well above the valve.. with the:l valve: being; at.sulrs-.1:`a-riti'allyl the: bottom of thez Well when; inil closed: position,

and means fory chanafing'-,v the relative5 pressure than.withinthewellthe'valveopenscv The valve may' be: provided. with: anyA necessary permanent buoyancy tanks or weightsrinrorcler" tot give: it? thesef desired: operating. cliaraoteristics.`

The gate-is.preferablymountedi onan'impnsxvecl3 hinge comprising'. hinge plates@ heldv together by' a hinge.A pin insertable through openings in: the hinge plates from! tlief bottom.' of? Water-tight accessi well forming' a; par-t1 off` the' gate; The hinge pin.` is insertedthrough means' adapted tov prevent'. flow. or? Water' aroundthe. pin amil into` the. accesscwell. Thep'i-'nri's engagealbl'e with said means even When Withdrawn from the engage-- ment with. the hingeplatesz. Withthis' construction the gate may bereasily installedorremoveds evenwhen the Iocliisifull of. water'.

Various embodiments-olli the' invention are seti out-1 iinl the'. accompanying drawings'.` 0f they drawings: li-*iga 1; is 'a'A fragmentary pl'air View' of "Y a pair of loelisL withi a lock gate between them,

a filling channell adacent the locks, and? a hydraulic valve for controlling 'flow-of water through thel channel; Fig. 2 isYl atvertical' section oFF-ig; 1f; Fig. Lris a view'sirrril'ar'to Fig. 2"*showingthe gate inpartial1ycI'osed-position;Fig: 5-

a' view similar to Fig. 2" showing the gate in'V fully* clcsed position;` Figi 6 i's a View' similar to Fig'. 4 `but showing an alterna@l embodiment of the invention and5 a' diierent' valve' systemz- Fig; 7 is-A a View' similartoFigi 5 showingthegateincom'- pletelyopen position ancrsliowin'g; a secondy a1'- ternat'e valve system;` and; Fig; 8l isa Vertical`A` section through a hingeiforjthe gate:

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1to15 inelusive the lock gate' system comprises an upper lock. i.'[9`, a lower. locl' l`l, a l'ocli`V gate.y ltherebetween, a Water channel" I`3 runningjesi'debotl'r locks and connected-.to a sourcelof water. pressure atleast as high as the, hydraulic head in. the A upper lockT la when'. saldi` lock, is1 full of water. WithinA the Vv/'aterr channelv I3 there. isf locatedr any upper valve.- M/ abovethe-rst look` |-0 and awlewer.l

Valve |15 between:v the two-locks; kTilfieevalves are.

. 3 ber of locks in the system. As shown there are only two locks and two channel valves.

The lock gate is mounted on a hinge I6 along its lower edge, and is mounted so that it slopes toward the center of its lock II) when in fully closed position (Fig. l), and sinks into a chamber I1 when in fully opened position. The gate is preferably framed with a main girder I8 across its top and has vertical girders I9 supported on the main girder and on the sill of the gate just above the hinge. The gate is provided with curved skin plates 20. When the gate is in fully opened position as shown in Fig it iits tightly within the chamber I1. The gate is provided with a projecting top portion 22 formed preferably by the main girder I8 and extending the full width oi the gate and extending toward the middle of the lock when the gate is in fully closed position- This top portion is cut away at the ends as indicated at 23. The top of the gate is also provided with a second projection portion 24 arranged substantially parallel to the longitudinal axisof the gate and arranged along the `back of the gate. The front end 25 of the chamber I1 is curved so that when the gate opens there will be a sub stantially tight seal between this front end 25 and a lateral extension 26 on the front ofthe rst top portion 22 of the gate.

In the drawings only one water channel I3 is shown. Although only one may be used it is y preferred that a similar lchannel and channel valves be provided on the other side of the locks so that thezgate may be operated at greater speed. The channel I3 communicatesiwith a lock I3 by ports 21 leading to the chamber I1 underneath the gate I2 when the gate is infully opened position. The ports are formed by spaced partitions 28.

The valves I4 and I5 may; be ordinary gate valves, butgthey are preferably hydraulic valves as shown in Fig. 2. The hydraulic valve I5 has a top surface 29 and a bottom surface 30 arranged at an angle to each other, and rotatably mounted on a hinge 3| at substantially the apex oi the angle. The hinge 3| is at substantially the top of the water channel I3, and the valve is located at they bottom Yof a well 32 `The valve has an arcuate rear surface 33 so that throughout its movement it will always be in engagement with the rear lower edge of the well 32. The valve is provided with a radial central tank 34 having a restricted vneel: portion 35 at substantially the center of the valve, and this tankis about half full of water 36, or other liquid, at all times- The valve l5 has a `buoyancy such that when the head of water in well 32 is equal to or greater vthan the head in the channel I3 the valve will remain closed, and when the head is greater in the channelthe valve will remain open. The chamber 34 and its contained water 36 aid in maintaining these conditions, as when the valve is closed (Fig. 2) the water is in that portion of the chamber 34 away from the hinge 3l, while when the valve is open (Fig. 4) the water is in that portion of the chamber adjacent the hinge 3|.

`The well 32 is provided with a pipe line 31 extending from the Well tothe lower lock I I. This pipe line has a valve 38 therein. The well is also provided with a second pipeline 39 extending from thewell to a source of waterhaving a pressure head at least as high as the source of water for the upper lock I0. The two'sources may be the same if desired. The second pipe line 39 is also provided with a valve 40 to control the flow of water through the line.

When the well 32 is full of water with the water level at 4I, and the upper lock I0 is full of water, with the water level at 42, the valve I5 will be held closed by the water 3S in the valve chamber 34, and the gate I2 will be held in closed position by the water head within lock I D. The water level in the lower lock II will be at some low point such as is indicated at 43. In order to lower the gate I2 to open position the valve 38 in water line 31 is opened. This causes the water in the well 32 to ilow into the lower lock II. When the water level within the well 32 has fallen from 4I to some lower point, such as 44, the pressure of water within the channel I3 causes the valve I5 to open (Fig. 4). As soon as this valve is opened water ows from the upper lock I D through the ports 21, through the channel I3, and through a set of similar ports into the lower lock I I. As the water in the lower lock rises from 43 to 45 the water in the upper lock will fall from 42 to 46, and the water level in the well will rise to 45a. At this point the pressure head 55 (Fig. 4) on the gate I 2 is insufficient to hold the gate in fully closed position (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4), and the gate begins to turn around its hinge I5 and open with the gradually receding pressure head'in the upper lock and water level 45 in the lower lock II approaches water level 46 in the upper lock I0. When the gate has reached the position shown in full lines in Fig. 4 the projectihg portion 24' at the top of the gate will dip below the water surface 41 which is now the level of water in the upper lock I0. Then onehalf of the water head 48 will ow over the lock gate and thereafter the water vstage in both the upper and the lower lock will be the same, at 49, and ow from the upper lock to the lower lock will stop. Air trapped under the gate will escape through vent holes 62 provided in the top portion 22.

As the gate I2 sinks into the chamber I1 it will move as fast as the water flows from the chamber and out through ports 21. When the gate is fully opened and the levels in the two locks are the same, boats and the like may pass freely from lone lock to the other- Under these conditions the level of water 49 will be the same in the upper lock I0, the lower lock II, and the well 32 (Fig. 5).

When it is desired to close the lock gate the valve 38 in pipe line 31 is closed and the well inlet valve 40 is opened- The water will then enter the well through the inlet line 39 and fill the well. When the water in the Well reaches its full level 4I the pressure on the valve I 5 will be greater than the pressure of the water within the channel I3 and the valve will turn in a downward direction -to fully closed position (Fig. 5). The upper valve I4 in the channel I3 is then opened, and water flows through the channel I3 and throughthe ports 21 into the chamber I1 on the under side of the gate l2 and raises the gate from the chamber I1.

After the top edge of the gate I2 is above water level 49 the front projecting portion 22 will emerge from the chamber I1 and water will enter the lock through the opening 50 (Fig. 5) between the top front edge of the chamber I1 and the lateral extension 26. The cut-away ends 23 of the projecting portion 22 are provided so that water will first enter the lock at the lower corners thereof. This causes the flow of water to run lengthwise along the bottom of the lock.

When the water level in lock I0 rises to the point indicated at 5I the gate will be held up by the static pressure head 52 in a position some-1 whatv higher` than that shown in Fig. 4'Iwhen the gate was open. From that point upward the increasing head within the lock I9 will gradually bring the gate to its fully closedposition, as shown in Fig. 2. Here the gravitytmoment of the gate is balanced by the static pressure head 53 from stage 54. All water stages above 54 will hold the gate tightly closed. `Stage 53 that is reached while the gate is closingl is less than water head 55 reached while the gate wask opening, but head 53 is applied to a greater surface of the gate so that the two conditions vproduce the same moment. e

e As can be seen from the above description, the gate l2 is opened and closed entirely by decreasing and increasingpressure heads in front of the gate. For example, for a gate 50 lfeet high, 110 feet wide, weighing 300 tons, and serving" to maintain a 12 foot channel, the head 48 (Fig. 4) will be about one foot when the gate dips under the surface 41 upon opening. This head may be further reduced by means of buoyancy means operating on the gate. The gate, however, does not require any internal control means to change the buoyancy of the gate in orderv to make it open and close.

The valve I5 as described also hasfan overflow function for the upper lock I0. If the level of water gets above the high water stage at 42 the pressure within the channel I3 will be increased while the pressure within the well remains constant. This increased pressure will tend to open the valve until the water inthe lock returns toits former level 42, when thevalve will again be closed.

If desired the pipe 31, which empties intothe lower lock II, may be led into the next well below. If this is done, and the control valve 38 is opened, then the flow of water will close the lock valve below corresponding to lock valve I5, open lock valve I5, close the lock gate below, open lock gate I2, and transfer water from lock I9 into lock II.

In order to make the lock valve I5 respond more quickly to changes in volume of water'within well 32 the well may be partially lled with; concrete blocks 55 or the like (Fig. 7). With this construction changes of the volume of water within well 32 cause faster changes in thel pressure head within the well. r

In Fig. 6 there is shown a lock valve II5 which operates like valve I5 but is constructed. differently. This new valve does not have an internal tank, but stability is secured by making. the lower face I 3U of smaller area than the upper face |29. Thus when the level 4I of water within the well 32 is substantially equal to the level i2 within the upper lock I0 there will be greater total pressure on the upper surface of the valve tending to hold it in closed position.

In Fig. 7 there is shown another embodiment of a control valve. This valve 2I5 is arranged to operate vertically within the well 32 and rolls on side rollers 51. Stability in ythis valve is obtained by having the horizontal projection of the upstream bottom area 239 of the valve smaller than the horizontal projection of the upper surface 2290i the valve. The horizontal plate 58 on the bottom of the valve serves only to make a smooth channel when the valve is in itsv fully opened position. o

In Figs. 6 and 7 there is shown a different form oi lock gate. This lock gate 2I2 is shaped similarly to the one shown in Figs. lto 5. vThe alter-v nate :lock gate, however, has a V-shaped sag pipe 59'fat the front of the gate with the apex of the pipein downward position when the gate is in fully opened position; With this construction the gate traps air at 60 when the gate moves from closed position toward an open position. The air escapes out the sag pipe' 59 and the pipe immediately fills with water, as shown in Fig. 7. When itis desired to raise the vgate towardvopen position compressed air is pumped through `pipe 6i to the under side of the gate. The air is trapped there, as vit is unable to escape through the water lled sag pipe 59. This compressed air will lift the top of the gateabove the water stage 49, and from that point on the gate will be closed by .an increasing heady in the lock chamber as hasbeen described. As the 4gate approaches completely closed positionthe water will drain from the sag pipe 59, leaving it`ready for another cycle of operation. This construction is especially recommended where the lock is so deep that no chamber I1 is necessary.

An improved hinge construction forthe new gate is shownv in Fig. 8. The gate is provided with enclosed access wells 63 at each edge of the gate with the hinge I6 at the bottom of a well. The hinge is formed of a pair of xed parallel plates 64 mounted on a base plate 65 anchored to the bottom of the. lock. The gate is provided with a second corresponding set of parallel plates 56 designed to fit between plates 64. All plates have aligned holes 61 arranged to receive a pin 69 that completes thehinge. The pin 58 has a pointed end so that it may be easily inserted in the holes 61. The inner plate 65a is part of the i the well 63. When the pin is to be withdrawn' or inserted the lock need not beemptied of water so long as the end of pinremains within the stufiing box. sible to mount and dismount the gate without draining the lock of water. This hinge assembly may be used on any underwater hinge.

The gates described herein are primarily suited for use as intermediate or lower gates. The upper gates, such as the upper gate for lock i9 (not shown) may be any type described. One such type is the lock gate shown and described in my Reissue Patent No. 22,745.

Having described my invention as related to the embodiments shown in the vaccompanying drawings, it is my intention that the invention be not limited by any of the details of description unless otherwise specified.' b-ut rather be construed `broadlywithin its spirit and scope as set out in the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. An automatic gate system comprising a lock, a hinged gate forming at least a part of one side of the lock and normally held upright when in closed position bythe head of water within the lock, means for draining the water from the lock until the water level reaches a point where the weight of the gate overcomes the water head to lowerv the gate toward' open position, means for applying uid pressure to the under side of the gate when in open vpositionfor rotating the gate This construction makes it posabout its hinge toward closed position, and means for relling the lock, saidgate being forced to completely closed position by the rising head of water Within the lock and said gate requiring substantially no more time to open and close than the time required for draining and refilling the lock.

2. An automatic lock gate system comprising a lock, a lock gate therein forming at least a part of one side of the lock rotatable aboutits bottom edge, and inclined toward the center of the lock when the gate is in closed position, a chamber at the bottom of the lock into which the gate sinks when the gate is rotated about its bottom edge to an open position, said gate forming a substantially fluid-tight seal with the chamber and with the side of the lock, means for maintaining a level of water above the gate higher than the level of water below the gate to provide a head tending to hold the gate in upright closed position, means for draining the water from the lock until said head is insufficient to further overcome the weight of the gate whereby the. gate moves toward open position within said chamber, means for applying uid pressure beneath the gate and within the chamber to raise the gate from open position, and means for refilling the lock above the gate when the gate has been raised to a position where the toptedge of the gate projects from the water, said relling thereby servingto increase the head of water above the gate and raise it to completely closed position.

3. The lock gate system of claim 2 wherein the gate is provided with a projecting top portion across substantially the full width of the gate extending toward the center of the lock with the projecting portion engageable with the corresponding edge of said chamber during movement of the gate to and away from an open position to form a substantially fluid-tight seal therewith.

4. The lock gate system of claim 2 wherein the gate is provided with a projecting top portion across substantially the full width of the gate extending toward the center of the lock with the projecting portion engageable with the corresponding edge of said chamber during movement of the gate to and away from an open position to form a substantially fluid-tight seal therewith, the leading edge of said projecting portion being engageable with said edge of the chamber until the top edge of the gate projects above the water surface when the gate is being closed.

5. The lock gate system of claim 2 wherein the gate is provided with a projecting top portion. across substantially the full width of the gate extending toward the center of the lock with the projecting portion engageable with the cor'- responding edge of said chamber during movement of the gate to and away from an open position to form a substantially huid-tight seal therewith, the leading edge of said projecting portion being engageable with said edge of the chamber until the top edge of the gate projects above the water surface when the gate is being closed, and said top edge of the gate is provided with a second projecting portion arranged substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the gate and extending substantially the full width of the gate.

6. The lock gate system of claim 2 wherein the gate is provided with a projecting top portion across substantially the full width of the gate extending toward the center of the lock with the projecing portion engageable with the corresponding edge of said chamber during movement of the gate to and away from an open position to 'form a substantially fluid-tight seal therewith, the leading edge of said projecting portion being engageable with said edge of the chamber until the top edge of the gate projects above the water surface when the gate is being closed, and said top edge of the gate is provided with a second projecting portion arranged substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the gate and extending substantially the full width of the gate, said rst projecting portion being sloped inwardly at its two ends so that water owing under said portion and into the lock will first enter the lock from the two front corners of said chamber.

7. The lock gate system of claim 2 wherein the chamber is provided with water ports through which water ows away from the chamber when the gate is moved to open position and into the chamber when the gate is moved toward closed position.

8. The lock gate system of claim 2 wherein the chamber is provided with water ports through which water ows away from the chamber when the gate is moved to open position and into the chamber when the gate is moved toward closed position, said ports also serving to rell the lock to cause the gate to move to fully closed position.

9. An automatic lock gate system comprising a lock, a lock gate therein rotatable about its bottom edge and inclined toward the center of the lock when the gate is in closed position with said gate normally held in closed position by the head of water within the lock, a chamber at the bottom of the lock into which the gate sinks when rotated about its bottom edge to open position, a lling channel located beside the lock and connected to a source of water having a pressure head at least as great as the head of water within the filled lock, a water flow port connecting the channel with the lock and having its lock end in the chamber under the gate when the gate is in open position, a valve in the channel above the port, and a second valve in the channel below the port, said valvescontrolling the flow of the water in the intermediate portion of the channel.

10. The lock gate system of claim 9 wherein at least one of the valves is located within the channel and at the bottom of a well with the pressure of Water Within the channel tending to open the valve and the pressure of water within the well tending to close the valve, and there are provided means for changing at least one of the pressures to open and close the valve.

11. The lock gate system of claim 9 wherein at least one of the valves is located within the channel and at the bottom of a well with the pressure of water Within the channel tending to open the valve and the pressure of water Within the Well tendingto close the valve, and there are provided means for changing at least one of the pressures to open and close the valve, said valve being rotatable about a hinge and having a fluid chamber therein containing a fluid and so constructed and arranged that the fluid flows toward the hinge when the valve is opening and away from the hinge when the valve is closing.

12. The lock gate system of claim 9 wherein at least one of the valves is located within the channel and at the bottom of a Well with the pressure of Water within the channel tending to open the valve and the pressure of water within the well tending to close the valve, and there are provided means for changing at least one of the pressures to open and close the valve.

13.Thelock gate system of claim 9 wherein at least one of the valves is located within the channel and at the bottom of a well with the pressure of Water within the channel tending to open the valve and the pressure of water Within the Well tending to close the Valve, and there are provided means for changing at least one of the pressures to open and close the valve, said valve being movable vertically within the Well to open and close the channel and with the horizontal projection area of the upstream bottom surface of the valve being smaller than the horizontal projection area of the top surface.

14. A hydraulic valve system comprising an enclosed hydraulic line, a valve therein arranged for movement to open and close said line, a well above said valve with the valve being at substantially the bottom of the well when in closed position, said valve having a buoyancy such that it is opened and closed by changing the relative pressure from the line and Well acting upon the valve, and means for changing the relative pressure heads within the line and within the well to open and close the valve.

15. The valve system of claim 14 wherein said valve is rotatable about a hinge and has a fluid chamber therein containing .a uid and so constructed and arranged that the fluid flows toward the hinge when the valve is opening and away from the hinge when the valve is closing.

16. The valve system of claim 14 wherein said valve is rotatable about a hinge located at sub stantially the top of the channel with the top and bottom surfaces of the valve being arranged at an angle whose apex is at substantially the hinge and with the bottom surface of the valve being of smaller area than the top surface.

17. The valve system of claim 14 wherein said valve is movable vertically within the well to open and close the channel and with the horizontal projection area of the upstream bottom surface of the valve being smaller than the horizontal projection area of the top surface.

18. In a lock system or the like including a lock and a movable lock gate, an underwater hinge comprising a xed hinge plate mounted on the lock wall and beneath the surface of water within the/lock, a corresponding hinge plate on the bottom of the gate and forming a Water-tight seal with a water-tight chamber therein, a hinge pin insertable from within the chamber through openings in said hinge plates, and means surrounding said pin to prevent flow of water around said pin into the chamber, said pin being engageable with said means even when withdrawn from the opening in the fixed plate.

19. The hinge of claim 18 wherein the hinge plate on the bottom of the lock forms a part of said chamber.

20. The hinge of claim 18 wherein the chamber extends to a level above the high-water level within said lock.

21. In a lock gate system or the like including a lock and a movable lock gate, an underwater hinge comprising a fixed hinge plate mounted on the lock wall and beneath the surface of water within the lock, a water-tight chamber forming a part of the gate and extending from a point above the high water level to a point beneath the main body portion of the gate, a second hinge plate fixed to the gate and forming a part of the chamber at the bottom thereof, openings in each hinge plate adapted to be aligned when the gate is in place, a hinge pin insertable from within the chamber through the openings in both hinge plates, and a stung box on the inside of the chamber surrounding saidpin to prevent flow of Water around the pininto the chamber, said pin being engageable with the stuffing box even when withdrawn from the opening in the fixed plate.

CHRISTIAN ARNE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,559,351 Muller Oct. 27, 1925 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 2,226 Netherlands 1917 

